Sleepless Nights
by Heather B. Kytes
Summary: What does Tenchi do when he can't sleep one summer night?
1. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer:  
I do not own any of these Tenchi Muyo! characters, they are copyrighted by AIC and Pioneer. This fic   
is for entertainment value only, not for profit. So please don't sue me, I'm broke.  
  
WARNING: THIS IS A SAD AND DEPRESSING STORY  
  
*Sleepless Nights*  
By, Heather B. Kytes  
  
It was a brittle cold night, the inky sky an obscure black periodically pierced by silvery   
slivers of light from the lonely moon floating high above in the sky. Sounds of nature filled the   
still air, such as the chirping of crickets and the occasional gust of wind against the window panes,   
the low moan rising, falling, then trailing off into a whisper that dissipated into empty silence.   
The rooms of the Masaki house were calm and at peace, except for the occasional tossing and turning   
of a restless sleeper.  
  
Ryoko couldn't sleep at all.  
  
*I'm not used to this bed* she thought, shifting uncomfortably in a futile effort to find a   
zone of comfort in which she could conceivably sleep. Ever since Kiyone and Mihoshi had left, Ryoko   
had "graduated" from sleeping on the couch to the guest bedroom. At first, Ryoko had been excited   
about the change, but from the looks of this first night, it appeared that it might not be such a great   
deal after all.  
  
It didn't help that it was a sweltering, summer night. The cotton blankets stuck to her like   
second skin, and twisted around her legs any time she moved. She ended up kicking them off the bed   
in frustration, laying on her stomach, her head turned to the side.  
  
Her neck started hurting.  
  
"Damn," she muttered, rolling over. She raised her arms over her head and stretched her sore   
muscles, then using her hand as something of a pillow under her cheek. She found this to be a somewhat comfortable pose, and she closed her eyes slowly, hoping that maybe, just maybe, this would be the   
right position she could fall asleep in.  
  
She was just dozing off when she heard the door to her room creak open. It was a low, ominous   
sound; someone was obviously being sneaky about entering the room. Ryoko tensed, waiting to leap into   
action.  
  
Before she could open her eyes and see who the intruder was, she was shocked into paralysis by a   
low sigh.  
  
It was Tenchi.  
  
"Sleeping like an angel," she heard him say softly. She could hear a smile in his voice, as   
well as undercurrents of deep, everlasting sorrow. "Ryoko."  
  
*Should I wake up?* Ryoko felt confused. If he wanted her awake, why would he be so quiet   
about everything? Why wouldn't he just yell at her or shake her? Also, it was the middle of the   
night. Why *would* he want her to wake up?  
  
But if he didn't want her awake, what was he doing here?  
  
Ryoko decided to wait. Maybe he would answer her.  
  
Using her superior hearing, she listened as Tenchi grabbed a chair form across the room and   
pulled it to the side of her bed. He sat down silently.  
  
Okay, so he didn't want her awake. That was obvious now. So. . .  
  
Minutes passed. Maybe seconds. Ryoko waited breathlessly, afraid to move an inch lest he   
realize she was awake. She was getting more and more curious as to what he was doing here, and she   
knew if she opened her eyes now, she'd never find out the truth.  
  
"I can't sleep," Tenchi said after countless moments of silence. "I can't stop thinking about   
you."  
  
Ryoko thought she would die. Her heart seemed to stop beating.  
  
"I don't know what I want most of the time. You know how confused I can be sometimes. Well, more   
like always. Always confused. But, lately, Ryoko, I just look at you--"  
  
Feeling heat rising in her cheeks, Ryoko shifted slightly, burying more of her face in the pillow   
to hide her blush.  
  
Tenchi paused, obviously worried that she was going to awaken. A few moments later when all was   
still again, he continued. "I look at you, and I'm saddened."  
  
Confusion entered Ryoko's mind, replacing the blinding joy she'd felt a moment ago. Dread   
weighed heavily on her soul. She waited patiently for him to speak again; it was all she could do.  
  
She heard him sigh painfully. "God, Ryoko, you can be such a witch sometimes! I just want   
to shake you and ask you what the hell and why the hell you do the things you do! Anything just to   
get you to stop hurting people! To stop being such a monster!"  
  
Tears threatened behind her eyelids which she managed to keep at bay somehow. He was yelling   
now, somewhat mutedly, but obviously so lost in emotion that he'd stopped caring if she woke up.   
Once more, she waited. Waited for him to hurl another dagger in her heart and add to the collection   
of pain.  
  
"Ryoko, it hurts, alright? Because I know the other side of you, the human side. The side that--  
that cares about people other than yourself. Your heart and soul."  
  
Tenchi took a deep breath, calming himself. He unconsciously placed his hand on the bed, and   
Ryoko could feel the slight tremblings that radiated throughout his fingers. He was obviously shaken   
and distraught. Ryoko didn't know what to think anymore. She was as confused as he seemed to be.   
She still couldn't figure out why he was doing this now, while she was *supposedly* asleep. Couldn't   
he say it to her face?  
  
Of course not. He was a coward.  
  
Sure, he could face Kagato fearlessly enough, tossing aside his own life in the blink of an eye   
to play the hero role. But when it came to matters of emotion, he ran away with his tail between his   
legs. A wimp. A coward.  
  
Yet, in spite of that, Ryoko loved him anyway. Nothing could ever stop her from loving him.  
  
"I can't go on like this much longer, Ryoko. Wanting to kiss you one second more than anything,   
and in the next wanting to *kill* you. How can it be this way? How can I love you and hate you at the   
same time?"  
  
*He loves me* The thought entered her mind and froze it immediately. Then another thought   
cracked the ice quickly and efficiently.  
  
*Yeah, and he hates you as well.*  
  
*What about Aeka? What do you feel for her?* her mind screamed. She wanted desperately to ask   
him the question, force him to answer her, for the question weighed on her mind like a rock tied to a   
chain, dragging her down to drown in the black waters of not knowing.  
  
"I don't feel this strongly about *anybody* else, Ryoko. Not Aeka, not Washu, not Kiyone, not   
Sasami, not Mihoshi. Just you. And I don't know why it's you."  
  
He let out a quiet, strangled laugh. "Sometimes--sometimes I wish it were Aeka, or someone   
else. Someone I could just be with so easily and not ride this damn roller coaster of emotions every   
time I see her. I tried, dammit, I tried so hard to love her."  
  
Another crack in her heart, more crimson blood trickled out. More tears held at bay, the dam   
threatening to burst any second. Yet, even as the pain shot through every corner of her body, Ryoko   
continued to sit there and wait, and listen.  
  
"I--I went out alone with Aeka all those times, listened to her pour out her heart and her soul   
to me, and gaze at me with those loving eyes of hers, and I just couldn't find any part of me that   
loved her as more than a friend. I felt like--like a failure. I had so many beautiful, kind, caring   
girls around me, and the only one I could think about was the damn, heartless monster. The selfish,   
cruel, enchanting, captivating demon I had resurrected." Tenchi's voice dropped to a whisper, though   
Ryoko heard him as plain as day. And every word he uttered hurt like hell.  
  
Each ill word he spoke of her seared a path straight to her heart. And even though he had said   
he loved her, her heart was breaking because he obviously didn't want to. He felt his heart was   
betraying him by being attached to a *monster* like her.  
  
*Oh, God, I can't take this. It--it hurts. . .*  
  
Ryoko let out a soft moan, unable to repress the anguish inside. Her face scrunched up as   
waves of pain racked her body, attacking her insides, her *life*. . .  
  
"Ryoko." Tenchi's voice was worried. She vaguely heard him stand, lean over the bed and place   
his hands on her arms, shaking her gently. "Ryoko, wake up."  
  
Managing to stop convulsing, Ryoko lay limp in Tenchi's grasp, feigning sleep. She couldn't   
face him. She didn't think she could ever face him again after his revelations tonight. She had to   
run away. To get as far away from him as possible and never look back.  
  
"Must have been a bad dream," Tenchi said softly. His grip on her loosened, then he let go.   
She lay on her back, and jumped slightly when she felt a warm touch on her forehead.  
  
Tenchi's fingers.  
  
He smoothed her bangs back, his gentle caresses leaving trails of sweet fire on her skin. She   
heard him groan under his breath; he knelt by the bed closer to her, so close she could feel his cool   
breath on her face.  
  
"You look like an angel," he whispered, somewhat repeating his first statement when he'd entered   
the room. "I wish you would always be this gentle and serene. You don't know how many sleepless   
nights I crept into the living room and watched you sleep on the couch, and felt my love for you grow   
even stronger, just looking at my dreaming angel."  
  
A lone tear pooled in the corner of Ryoko's eye. She hoped he didn't see it, hoped he would   
leave the room and let her cry the oceans of tears behind her eyelids. Let her drown in the sorrow   
flooding her heart.  
  
"Must be--" Tenchi hesitated. Ryoko felt pressure near her eye. He had stolen the tear as it   
escaped her eye and started down her cheek. "Must be my imagination," he finished. "But this--it's a   
tear."  
  
The pain doubled, tripled, went off the charts. Ryoko neared the breaking point, but still   
hovered at the end of her rope. One more harsh word from Tenchi, and the rope would be gone, leaving   
Ryoko to fall forever into the bottomless pit of her emotions and empty love.  
  
"Why would you cry, Ryoko? Why?" Tenchi was talking to himself now, pondering the question.   
"Did you--" his voice filled with fear. "--did you hear me? Ryoko, are you awake?"  
  
Her breath caught in her throat. This was it. Should she reveal it now or never?  
  
The coward. The damn coward.  
  
She was no better than he.  
  
She remained quiet.  
  
"Thank God." Tenchi let out the breath he'd been holding. "I don't want to hurt you, Ryoko.   
That's the last thing I want."  
  
*You don't want to make me happy, either.*  
  
"I love you so much."  
  
*You hate me even more.*  
  
"Ryoko, you're such an important part of my life."  
  
*Oh, I'm just a monster, or did you forget so soon?*  
  
"God, I hate this. These damn sleepless nights are when I should be holding you, not sitting   
here and telling you this crap. Then going back to my room and staring at the ceiling and thinking   
to myself, 'Dammit, Tenchi, when are you going to tell her to her face that you love her?'"  
  
*That's okay, Tenchi. Your version of love is so damn twisted it might as well be ashes.   
You'll forget all about me someday, but I'll always love you till the day they throw my rotting corpse   
in another tomb. And even then, in my sleep of eternal death, I know the only thing I'll see is your   
face, and everyday I'll wish to see you again, so you can take another little piece of my heart to break. Another knife in the chest. Just keep 'em coming, Tenchi, I'm ready always. . .*  
  
An affectionate grunt came out of Tenchi's throat. Ryoko felt his hand on the side of her face,   
softly stroking and outlining her jaw with the tip of his thumb. "How can I hate you when you're like   
this, so vulnerable and beautiful? God, Ryoko, I want to take you in my arms and--"  
  
"I'm just a monster."  
  
The words came out of Ryoko's mouth before she could stop them.  
  
She could almost see Tenchi blink in surprise, as he was so fond of doing when shocked. His   
hand shot away from her face. "Ryoko? Are you awake?"  
  
Another chance to tell the truth. *Yes, Tenchi, I heard every word you said. . .*  
  
It passed, and once again she remained silent and limp.  
  
"You never talked in your sleep before," he murmured. She heard him slowly get to his feet, felt   
his eyes on her once more. "I should probably get out of here before you wake up for real. I just--had   
to talk to you. About my feelings."  
  
*Thank you so much, Tenchi, I'll treasure your words forever*  
  
The brush of Tenchi's lips against her cheek like a burn left its mark. "See you in the   
morning," he whispered. There was a steady sound of footsteps moving away, then the door shut as   
Tenchi exited the room.  
  
Ryoko opened her tear-filled eyes, stared up at the ceiling for a long time and crying silently.   
Just as the darkness of night inside the room threatened to swallow her in its endless depths, the   
blackness softened steadily as a deep, charcoal-gray light floated in from the east. The sky lightened   
further, revealing towering outlines of black, unmoving trees painted against the dawning horizon. A   
soft, grayish-rose warmed the sky; a layer of clouds was backlighted by dawn as it crept across the   
horizon slowly and uniformly. The first beams of sunlight appeared through her window, dissolving the   
shadows and drying her eyes.  
  
She heard movement outside in the hall. "Morning, Ryo-Oh-Ki! Are you hungry?" came Sasami's   
cheerful voice. There was a soft meow in reply.  
  
Ryoko slowly stood and walked out of the room.  
  
Sasami noticed her and smiled brightly. "Good morning, Ryoko. Did you sleep well? You look   
tired."  
  
Ryoko gazed at the innocent girl, her face expressionless as she shook her head. "I feel fine,"   
she lied. "It was only a sleepless night."  
  
The End  
  
*Flames welcome (I've got the water ready^_^), though I would appreciate suggestions on how to  
improve it (it's sort of a first draft). So please review, thank you so much* 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Disclaimer:  
I do not own any of these Tenchi Muyo! characters,  
they are copyrighted by AIC and Pioneer. This fic  
is for entertainment value only, not for profit. So  
please don't sue me, I'm broke.  
  
NOTE: I hope you like it ^_^.  
  
*Sleepless Nights 2*  
By, Heather B. Kytes  
  
The moon hung high in the sky, brilliant in its  
superiority. Moonbeams reflected off the stars  
above, touching every tree and flower with a  
gentle caress of silver light. Trees ordinary  
by day transformed into mystical giants shining  
with green leaves sprinkled with fairy dust.  
Lightning bugs fluttered by in bursts of light,  
momentary flickers of comprehension that were  
soon gone.  
  
Tenchi gazed out the window at the magical  
scene a moment more before shutting the curtain.  
He turned around, smiling at Ryoko, who was  
playing on the video game console in the corner  
of his room. He sat down on his bed, propping  
his face in his hands and watching her.  
  
The smile on his face turned into a frown  
when he saw the sluggish way she poked at the  
control. The game was over in a matter of seconds  
as the computer player killed her character and  
'Game Over' flashed on the screen.  
  
The control slipped out of Ryoko's hands and  
bounced aimlessly on the floor. She sat there,  
silent for a moment, then turned around to face  
Tenchi with a big smile. "I guess you want to get  
to bed, huh?"  
  
Tenchi blinked. *Her smile looks painted on*  
he thought with a twinge of worry. It was like  
she was trying extra hard to be cheerful when she  
really wasn't. "Uhh--not really," he stammered.  
"You can still play if you want to."  
  
"Nah," she said, getting to her feet. She  
shrugged. "Ten losses in a row tells me this isn't  
my night." She turned to leave.  
  
"Wait!" When Ryoko turned to face him,  
Tenchi laughed nervously, putting his arm behind  
his head in a casual gesture. "I mean, I wanted to  
show you something on my new computer."  
  
Aeka stuck her head in the door. She'd been  
passing by in the hall. "What is it, Lord Tenchi?"  
she asked, walking into the room.  
  
"What's going on in here?" Sasami asked,  
bounding in the room after her sister. Mihoshi and  
Washu followed, and soon the room was packed.  
  
Tenchi inwardly groaned. Sometimes he thought  
this house was just too crowded, but then, he  
couldn't stand the thought of anyone leaving, either.  
  
Tenchi put his hand on the mouse, and double  
clicked on the mp3 player icon. "I downloaded some  
really cool songs," he said. "I thought you might  
like to hear them."  
  
"Tenchi," Ryoko said.  
  
Upon hearing the soft tenderness on her voice,  
Tenchi turned around and looked into her beautiful  
gold eyes. "What?" he asked.  
  
A moment passed between them that everyone in  
the room felt. A moment when pure emotion crossed from  
one pair of eyes to another. Ryoko shook her head,  
smiling sadly. "Never mind," she said quietly. She  
turned around, walking to the door. "I think I'll go  
to bed."  
  
Tenchi felt disappointment weigh heavily on  
his soul as he watched her walk away, unable to call  
her back. He pressed the play button, and hard rock  
music filled the room, much to others' delight. They  
danced to the music while Tenchi gazed down at the  
keyboard, thinking.  
  
*What is wrong with Ryoko?* She wasn't fooling  
Tenchi in the slightest. She was trying her best to  
play the part and pretend that nothing was wrong.  
But Tenchi knew better. *I'll talk to her tonight* he  
decided. *This time, when she's awake.*  
  
*********************************************************  
  
The house was quiet with the sounds of midnight.  
Floorboards creaked under Tenchi's feet as he  
unsuccessfully tried to make his way to Ryoko's room  
without causing a disturbance. At this rate, he thought  
miserably, the entire household will wake up before I  
make it halfway to her room.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity of breathless  
moments, he pushed her door open and entered the room,  
sighing as he closed the door safely behind him. "Whew--" he   
started. "I--"  
  
His words cut off in midsentence when he noticed  
the bed was empty. Panic rose in his throat as he  
crossed over to the bed, running his hands over the  
rumpled sheets. "What the--?" he murmured, looking  
around frantically. "Where did she go?"  
  
*Don't freak out yet* his rational voice in his  
mind said. *Check other places to make sure she's gone  
before you start panicking.*  
  
Tenchi raced out of the room, forgetting his vow  
to be silent. He pounded down the hallway to the living  
room and almost fainted from relief when he saw Ryoko  
laying peacefully on the couch.  
  
Tenchi sighed, placing his hand over his racing  
heart. He walked over and knelt by the couch, gazing  
at Ryoko's face. Her eyes were tightly clenched, a  
frown marring the beauty of her face. She looked pained  
and sorrowful.  
  
"Nightmare?" Tenchi wondered aloud, reaching out to touch  
her but quickly drawing his hand back. He glanced  
around warily, to see if he had awakened anyone else in  
the house. The air was still, but carried a current of  
intensity as white-hot as a bolt of lightning. This  
night contained endless possibilities, limited only by  
the weakness in one's heart.  
  
Tenchi sighed again, this time with sorrow instead  
of relief. His hands tightened into fists in his lap as  
he stared down, mentally beating himself for being such  
a wimp. Eternally afraid to show emotion and to be  
real. He tried in vain to bring back memories of hating  
Ryoko, to take away his pain of loving her silently, but  
none returned. He vaguely realized that she had done  
nothing in the past month to incite any form of hatred.  
She hadn't been herself, not really.  
  
"Do I only love an image of you in my mind that  
isn't real?" Tenchi looked up at Ryoko, almost as if  
expecting some sort of answer or sign.  
  
The past month, he reflected, he'd been running  
on auto-pilot. Ever since that one sleepless night when  
he'd admitted his feelings to a sleeping Ryoko, he'd  
caught himself staring at her, unable to take his eyes  
away. Thinking of her constantly. Like telling her he  
loved her had opened a floodgate that not even his hate  
could close.  
  
Tenchi lifted a hand in the air only to find that  
he was trembling uncontrollably. He slowly moved his  
shaking hand towards Ryoko's sleeping form, over her  
face, to rest delicately on her soft cheek.  
  
Ryoko mumbled in her sleep, rolling over so that  
her back faced him and his hand fell from contact with  
her.  
  
Blinking puzzled for a moment, Tenchi sat back on  
his heels. An idea popped into his mind. Maybe he  
couldn't tell Ryoko to her face that he loved her, but  
he thought he could manage if she wasn't facing him. He  
shook her shoulder gently, whispering, "Ryoko, wake up."  
  
He got no response, so he got up and loomed over  
her, looking at her face. His eyes widened considerably  
when he saw two crystal tears shining on her cheeks in the  
moonlight.  
  
"Ryoko, what--?" Tenchi shook her, harder. "Are  
you awake?"  
  
An endless moment, then Ryoko sighed. Her eyes  
slowly opened and gazed up at him, her eyes flooded with  
unshed tears. "Tenchi," she said, her voice pitifully  
weak. "Why are you still here?"  
  
Tenchi stared down at her, confused. His brow  
wrinkled in frustration. "Why are you crying?" he asked  
rather harshly. "You never cry."  
  
Ryoko angrily brushed her tears away, glaring at  
him. "Yeah? What do you know about me anyway, Tenchi?  
Nothing."  
  
"That's not true." Tenchi's face twisted with  
anger. "I probably know you better than anyone else in  
this house."  
  
Ryoko sat up, hurling the covers away from her.  
"And you don't know jack. What does that say?" Her  
eyes shot golden flames at him.  
  
Tenchi took a step back, surprised by her anger,  
and as well as his own. His eyes moved over her, and  
with the covers pushed aside, he realized she was  
wearing nothing more than a little slip. Against his  
will, heat rose in his cheeks, but the redness was  
hidden under the cover of night. "I know you," he said  
again, not wanting to believe otherwise.  
  
"Oh, enlighten me." Ryoko sat back, unperturbed  
by her scant clothing. She folded her arms across her  
chest and looked at him expectantly. "Well?"  
  
Tenchi blinked hard, shaking his head. "All  
right." He stared down at the floor, going through his  
mind for things to say but coming up blank.  
  
Ryoko's mouth formed a bitter smile. "As I  
expected," she said coldly. "Blank slate."  
  
"You hate snow," Tenchi said quietly, lifting his  
head and meeting her gaze.  
  
Ryoko's mouth opened to say another sarcastic  
remark, but Tenchi cut her off. "Your favorite place  
to be is the clearing behind the shrine in the spring  
when the trees are covered in cherry blossoms. You  
like to drink tea, and usually by the fifth cup you're  
pretty out of it." The facts were flowing now, he had  
tapped the well inside him and everything poured out of  
his heart as easily as water. "You like to read romance  
novels when you think no one is watching. I can always  
when tell you're getting angry because your right eye  
twitches a little. You like to sit on the roof and  
gaze at the stars because it helps you remember the  
days you were wild and carefree."  
  
"Shut up," Ryoko whispered, her eyes shaking with  
tears. She stared helplessly at Tenchi as he peered  
through her eyes, deep into her soul, exposing her most  
precious feelings.  
  
Tenchi continued, merciless. "When you're having  
a nice dream, you smile. When it's a nightmare, you  
grit your teeth a little. Sometimes you snore, but I  
think it's cute. You care deeply about everyone in the  
house, even Aeka, and you would do anything to protect  
us. You think of us as the family you never had."  
  
"Shut UP!" Ryoko shouted, closing her eyes tight  
for a moment to stop her tears. She formed her energy  
sword and pointed it threateningly at Tenchi. "Don't  
you say another word!"  
  
"I know you," Tenchi repeated calmly. He slowly  
stepped forward. "I know you could never hurt me."  
  
"You don't know anything," Ryoko said. Her eyes  
blazed like twin infernos, not extinguished by her  
sparkling tears.  
  
"Everything I said is true. You can't deny  
that," Tenchi said, continuing to walk forward as Ryoko  
backed away.  
  
"Are you happy, Tenchi? You win, all right?  
You *know* me, oh, good for you! What does it prove?"  
  
"That you're not an island," Tenchi said, pausing  
in his steps for a moment and watching her intently.  
"That even though you tried to stop everyone from  
knowing you, we crept into your soul. We *are* your  
family, Ryoko. We all care about you."  
  
"Bull!" Ryoko exclaimed. "Care about me, what?  
You hate me!"  
  
It was Tenchi's turn to step back. "Huh?"  
  
Ryoko's sword shook. "Don't even play  
innocent! I heard you that night! That night you  
couldn't sleep and came into my room." Her voice lost  
strength, her sword dissipated as she slumped over,  
her emotions running uncontrolled throughout her  
body. "I--I heard you say you hated me."  
  
Tenchi froze, frantically trying to remember his  
exact words. *I was so cold to her* he remembered  
with horror. *She was awake, oh no.*  
  
Ryoko's back was to the wall, and she slid down  
until she hit the floor, her knees drawn up to her  
chest. Her face was a mess of tears of sorrow.  
  
Tenchi gazed down at her. *Sadness is beautiful*  
he thought distractedly. Surely she had never looked  
so wonderful to him, so openly feeling her emotions,  
the heart-breaking agony on her face transforming her  
into a fallen angel, lost in the world of her pain.  
  
He moved swiftly to her side, kneeling in front  
of her. He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her  
eyes to meet his. Carefully, he wiped her tears away  
with his forefinger, his touch lingering on her skin.  
"I said I loved you, Ryoko," he said.  
  
Ryoko's brows furrowed in anger. "No, you  
said--"  
  
Tenchi closed her lips with his tear-stained  
finger, moving it away when he was sure she would  
listen. He stared at her face in wonder, her beauty  
only inches away from him. "What is more important?"  
he asked quietly. "That I hate you sometimes, or that  
I love you always?"  
  
Ryoko shook with injury. "Not always," she  
whispered. "You didn't say that."  
  
"Words aren't sufficient," Tenchi said firmly.  
"Nothing can describe the way I feel when your eyes are  
on me. It takes a long time to realize what true  
feelings are. When I talked to you that night, I was  
still confused. I'm not confused anymore."  
  
"You can't love someone and hate them at the same  
time. That's not the way it is!" Ryoko exclaimed. "How  
can your love be real?"  
  
"How should I know?" Tenchi asked. "No one can  
explain the way love works. But I love you. Are you  
saying you don't care?"  
  
Ryoko's eyes stared past Tenchi. "When you said  
you hated me," she said quietly, "when you called me a  
monster, I knew what it felt like to have your heart  
broken."  
  
Tenchi waited for her to finish, grimacing at the  
pangs in his own heart.  
  
"If your love can't conquer your hate, then it's  
worth nothing to me."  
  
Tenchi nodded. He got to his feet slowly. "I'm  
sorry you feel that way," he whispered, feeling tears  
surface in his own eyes. He smiled sadly. "I'm sorry  
I bothered you, Ryoko. Good night."  
  
He walked out of the room, his head bowed, pain  
shooting at his heart from all directions.  
  
Suddenly, he stopped, and whirled around.  
  
Ryoko stood in the living room doorway, a  
stricken look on her face. Her eyes called out to him,  
a silent plea. *Tenchi, don't go. . .*  
  
All thoughts flew from Tenchi's mind. For once in  
his life, he followed exactly what his heart told him  
to do. He raced back down the hall and swept Ryoko into  
his arms. She clung to him as if he were a life  
preserver, her arms tightly circling around his neck, her  
face buried in his hair as she sobbed silent tears.  
  
"Ryoko," he whispered, over and over. His hands  
stroked up and down her back, as he carried her to the  
couch, sitting and cradling her in his lap. His cheeks  
were bright red, but a smile stretched across his face,  
as bright as the sun. He stared down at her, smiling,  
as her sobs slowed and faded into silence.  
  
She looked up at him sheepishly, her own face  
flushed. "I've never cried so much in my life," she  
complained, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  
"I swear I'm turning into Mihoshi or something."  
  
"Nah." Tenchi met her eyes, still grinning and  
blushing.  
  
Ryoko's defenses waned, and vulnerability flashed  
over her features. "What?" she asked, not meeting his  
intense gaze. Her head drooped.  
  
"Don't you want to look at me, Ryoko?" he teased,  
his grin growing wider.  
  
Ryoko's face shot up. "Huh?" she asked, her jaw  
dropping with surprise. She glared when she realized he  
was making fun of her. "Since when are you Mr.  
Comedian?" she muttered.  
  
"Since when are you Miss Hard-to-Get?" Tenchi  
shot back. He shifted, pulling her closer.  
  
A sigh escaped Ryoko's lips. "You hate me," she  
said, reminding herself. She started to move away.  
  
Tenchi tightened his hold on her. "Ryoko, stop  
it. Stop using that as an excuse to push me away and  
block me out." He shook her slightly. "You're wrong.  
My love *can* conquer my hate. It already is. So stop  
keeping me at a distance." He coughed. "I mean--"  
  
Ryoko put a finger to his lips, and on her face  
was the familiar, seductive grin he loved so much. "You  
talk too much," she said. "I mean, hell, you said you  
loved me and all. Aren't there better things we could  
be doing than *talk*?"  
  
Tenchi swallowed hard. "W-what do you mean?" he  
stammered.  
  
"You know." She stared at him through her  
lashes. Her finger moved across his lips lightly. "You  
know, Tenchi."  
  
The blush returned to his face, hotter than  
before. "I, uh--"  
  
Ryoko lifted her face to his, slowly, meaningfully,  
and as her lips neared his, she let her true feelings  
show on her face. The tenderness and love softened her  
eyes, now unclouded windows to her soul. "Love you."  
The whispered confession tumbled out of her lips as she  
pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes at the  
intensity of the moment. Tenchi held his breath, inching  
forward, his mouth waiting for hers. Until that instant  
of contact, soft lips on his, gentle and yielding,  
forceful, loving, perfect. Beyond dreams and  
expectations. Tenchi could stay this way forever, die  
this way, sweetly surrendering to the waves of passion  
whirling between him and his love.  
  
They pulled back at the same time, cheeks flushed  
with pleasure and emotion. Eyes on each other.  
  
Ryoko sighed contentedly, resting her head on his  
chest. She snuggled deeply into the warmth of his  
body. "That was--" she trailed off.  
  
"No words," Tenchi said, running his fingers  
through her hair. He moved into a laying position on  
the couch, gently shifting so that Ryoko remained on top  
of him, as close to him as possible. He reached down  
and grabbed the quilt, placing it around himself and  
Ryoko. He yawned, tired from the emotional stress of  
the night, but definitely happy in spite of the  
exhaustion. He couldn't have moved if he wanted to. But he   
*didn't* want to.  
  
Ever.  
  
"They're gonna see us in the morning," Ryoko said,  
yawning and stretching against him.  
  
Panic flooded Tenchi's mind as he pictured   
the embarrassment he would face when the sun rose and   
everyone saw him this way. He came to a definite conclusion,   
finally, after a moment of hesitation. "I don't care," he   
said firmly. "Have to get used to it, I suppose."  
  
Ryoko looked at him joyfully. "You mean--?"  
  
Tenchi smiled. "Of course. I love you. I want  
to be with you, and I don't want to have to sneak around  
to do it."  
  
Ryoko closed her eyes, hugging Tenchi. "I'm so--"  
She yawned again. "--happy."  
  
"Sleep, angel," Tenchi whispered.  
  
He stared up at the ceiling, listening to Ryoko's  
steady breathing. Suddenly, in a moment of perfect  
clarity, he realized this was the last sleepless night  
he would ever have.  
  
With that as his last thought, Tenchi fell asleep.  
  
Smiling.  
  
The End  
  
*Sigh* I've always wanted to write a happy ending. I'm  
sorry if they were too out of character, but really, how  
can you make Tenchi act super-caring without him being  
somewhat out of character? Oh well. Liked it? Hated  
it? Tell me. Review! Thanks. 


End file.
